A retrospective characterization of pediatric facemasks marketed in the United States and implications for future designs.

Background: Device manufacturers who seek to market their pediatric facemasks in the United States (U.S.), as part of anthropometric data requirement, need to demonstrate their mask designs are expected to fit the intended user population.

Build parameter influence on strut thickness and mechanical performance in additively manufactured titanium lattice structures.

Additively manufactured lattices have been adopted in applications ranging from medical implants to aerospace components. For solid AM components, the effect of build parameters has been well studied but comparably little attention has been paid to the influence of build parameters on lattice performance. For this project, the main aim was to evaluate static compressive mechanical performance of regular and stochastic lattices as a function of build parameters.

Biomimetic tissue phantoms for neurosurgical near-infrared fluorescence imaging.

Significance: Neurosurgical fluorescence imaging is a well-established clinical approach with a growing range of indications for use. However, this technology lacks effective phantom-based tools for development, performance testing, and clinician training.

Aim: Our primary aim was to develop and evaluate 3D-printed phantoms capable of optically and morphologically simulating neurovasculature under fluorescence angiography.

Benchtop assessment of sealing efficacy and breathability of additively manufactured (AM) face masks.

The onset of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) led to a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), medical devices, and other medical supplies causing many stakeholders and the general public alike to turn to additive manufacturing (AM) as a stopgap when normally accessible devices were not available. However, without a method to test these AM constructs, there continued to be a disconnect between AM suppliers and the community's needs. The objective of this study was to characterize the pressure drop and leakage of four different publicly available AM face mask models with two filter material combinations, as well as to investigate the impact of frame modification techniques including the use of foam strips and hot-water face forming to improve fit when the masks are donned on manikin head forms.

Modifying NIOSH's Manikin Fit Evaluation Method to Match Fit Testing with Human Subjects.

A manikin fit test method developed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has been proposed as an alternative to fit testing with human subjects. The advantages of a manikin fit test method over actual fit testing are that it does not require human subjects which can be resource intensive, and hence easier to implement. At the beginning of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, although early studies showed that manikin fit can be maintained after several decontamination cycles, real world evidence obtained using human subjects revealed that the N95 respirators failed only after a few decontamination cycles.

Dimensional variability characterization of additively manufactured lattice coupons.

Background: Additive manufacturing (AM), commonly called 3D Printing (3DP), for medical devices is growing in popularity due to the technology's ability to create complex geometries and patient-matched products. However, due to the process variabilities which can exist between 3DP systems, manufacturer workflows, and digital conversions, there may be variabilities among 3DP parts or between design files and final manufactured products. The overall goal of this project is to determine the dimensional variability of commercially obtained 3DP titanium lattice-containing test coupons and compare it to the original design files.

Dual Extrusion Patterning Drives Tissue Development Aesthetics and Shape Retention in 3D Printed Nipple-Areola Constructs.

Breast cancer and its most radical treatment, the mastectomy, significantly impose both physical transformations and emotional pain in thousands of women across the globe. Restoring the natural appearance of a nipple-areola complex directly on the reconstructed breast represents an important psychological healing experience for these women and remains an unresolved clinical challenge, as current restorative techniques render a flattened disfigured skin tab within a single year. To provide a long-term solution for nipple reconstruction, this work presents 3D printed hybrid scaffolds composed of complementary biodegradable gelatin methacrylate and synthetic non-degradable poly(ethylene) glycol hydrogels to foster the regeneration of a viable nipple-areola complex.